Opuwo

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Shaundd

Opuwo is the main town of the Kaokoland area, and the capital of the wider Kunene region, in north-western Namibia. It has a population of 12,000.

Get in

About 720km north-northwest from Windhoek.
The road is now tarred/paved all the way from Windhoek to Opuwo.

Get around

Hire a car in Windhoek (preferably a 4x4 to visit remote villages). A normal sedan will reach Opuwo easily.
Actually with a capable sedan on good tires it is possible to reach Epupa Falls also - but do not attempt this in a car with poor tyres, and as there is one or two steep hills rear wheel drive is preferable. I travelled to Okongwati in a 2WD fine (john@john-kenny.com)
==See==
Himba People, Epupa Waterfalls, Marienfluss, Desert Elephants, Van Zyl's pass (4x4), Traditional villages of the Himba, Herero and Dhimba people.

Do

Walk around one of the most interesting towns in Africa and experience it's diverse people. Buy some cultural ornaments from the street markets and support the local economy.
Drive to Epupa waterfalls (180km north) or a nearby traditional village.

Buy

Well stocked grocery shops, Internet Cafe, Banks, Petrol & Diesel. Local craftspeople selling hand-made jewellery and other crafts - to be found on street, in particular outside OK Supermarket.

Eat

Kaokoland RestaurantThe only "standard" restaurant in town. The outside area is a nice spot to watch people selling their wares.

Drink

Facebook BarThe place to be on Friday nights. Loud music and all the locals. Drinks are seldom cold and occasionally sold out. Buy at other shebeens nearby and bring in, nobody will care.

Sleep

ABBA guesthouseAccessible, Beautiful, Budget Accommodation. Clean, en suite bathrooms, hot water, free internet, TV in reception room, in the center of Opuwo. Profits from ABBA go towards running a feeding scheme in Opuwo for between 50 and 150 orphans and vulnerable children daily. Profits are used to send teaching teams to Himba villages and will soon start drilling water wells in some remote villages.
Kunene Village Rest CampSolar hot water, friendly staff. Guides can be arranged for visits to local Himba villages or to Epupa Falls. Campsite run as a non-profit enterprise by Namibian NGO supporting local communities by providing training and advice on rural development and nature conservation. Profits from camping go towards providing workshops and other training for conservancy members around NW Kunene.
Ohakane LodgeUgly from the outside, very nice inside. Pool, lapa, good breakfast and friendly staff. Aircon and TV in every room.

Connect

Western Tjiposa - he is the best guide in Opuwo by a country mile. In Sept/Oct 2009 I travelled there with work and needed a very capable guide that knew Kaokoland and knew the Himba extremely well. Western was highly recommended by some local residents and he turned out to be the perfect guide (and was wonderful company too). He comes from a Himba family and so knows the traditions, the villages and can help you get the best out of your time in Opuwo and Kaokoland. His details are: +264 (0) 812750156 and he also has an email address at westerntjiposa@yahoo.com but as this is Africa he may only access his emails every few days.....
Mayor of Opuwo (Cllr Pieter de Villiers): mayor@opuwo.info or 0811222263
ABBA guesthouse: abbaguest@gmail.com or 0812346810

Stay healthy

Malaria area. Regional Hospital and private pharmacy can treat most health related problems.